Ryan Shazier’s NFL career did not go as planned, but he will be forever celebrating for the courage he instilled in all of us and the inspiration he showed battling back after one of the worst injuries suffered on a football field.
During a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 4, 2017, the promising young Steelers linebacker suffered a neck/back injury after colliding with an offensive played head first, compressing his spine.
After laying on the ground for what felt like an eternity, Shazier was eventually stretchered off and rushed to the hospital, where he would later be diagnosed with partial paralyzation.
After an extensive rehabilitation process that is still ongoing, Shazier was able to learn to walk again, notably walking across the stage at the 2019 NFL Draft to announce a pick.
A little over a year later and a day before the 2020 NFL season, Shazier announced his retirement from the game via a video posted to his social media accounts.
